While most people are trying to cater to millennials, Samantha Foster, director of Destination Spa Management, said at Berlin’s ITB Convention that a large growing market segment is being ignored: senior citizens.

“Everyone is talking about millennials and how they are going to be fifty percent of our market, but we need to look at the aging market because it is growing and will dictate trends in our industry,” Foster said. “Globally, population aged 60+ is growing faster than all younger age groups. All regions except for Africa will have a quarter of their population aged 65 or older by 2050.”

In order to cater to an older clientele Foster suggests a mix of preventative treatments, mood-elevating therapies, diet and nutrition programs and informative courses.

“Food is 70 percent of the battle. It is important to have a naturopath or nutritionist on staff that can design diets for these people,” Foster said.

But she cautioned that programs for older people should not be about putting unrealistic expectations on them.

“We need to focus on the positive aspects of ageing and not pretend that it does not exist,” Foster said.

Although the market is steadily growing, Foster says that the segment is still underrepresented and that developing such programs can set a spa or wellness center apart from the crowd.

“Very few places are offering things for seniors so you will be a market leader,” she said.

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